Spilled Cup of Oceansoul

On September 5th, 2010, the OSA lost one of its own when Zellie Blake, one of the OSA's founding members, lost her battle with cancer. Just a month away from her 28th birthday, Zellie was gone far too soon, but she left behind many wonderful memories to all of us in the OSA, and her contributions to Oceansouls of America continues to live on. This page is dedicated to the legacy that Zellie left behind to the OSA; not only as a Nightwish fan, but as a friend to everyone she came to know in our community. Zellie lives on in our hearts and Oceansouls forever.

Whether it was writing up OSA newsletters, passing out flyers at Nightwish concerts, spending time in our chat room, or actively posting at our forum (referring to herself as the "Spilled Cup of Oceansoul"), Zellie was a dedicated Oceansoul from the start. Her open, friendly personality instantly made her a beloved figure in the OSA community, and it was that vibrant spirit that really set the standard for what OSA would become over the years. Zellie was one of the most faithful OSAers; even during times when there was little participation, or during difficult times when OSA did not have a permanent home, Zellie was always there, never willing to give up or to let anyone else give up, either! Not only did she love the music of Nightwish, but she also loved the people in the OSA who were fellow fans. Anyone who came to know Zellie considered her a friend, and she was a true friend to everyone. Her posts at OSA forum were a welcome sight; whether she was debating politics, cracking jokes, or giving video game tips, Zellie's presence at OSA was always felt.

Zellie's vivacious, fun-loving personality was not just limited to the confines of the OSA community. Zellie loved animals, especially her pets; she also enjoyed traveling and went to places such as Mexico, Australia, and Japan during the course of her life. Some of her hobbies included belly-dancing and learning to speak Japanese!

However, Zellie's true passion was writing, and it was her fondest dream to become a published author. Sadly, that dream would be realized only days before her passing, when her first novel, Lightning Spliced, would be published. Zellie would get to realize her fondest dream before she left this world. This would only make her loss all the more painful, that such talent would leave us before we had a chance to see its full potential. The proceeds from the book's sale would go to cancer research, and just as Zellie had helped OSA in her lifetime, we would honor her memory by helping her, and doing our part to jump-start book sales. Fellow Nightwish communities throughout the world would also help in our cause, and Zellie's legacy would transcend the boundaries of North America, reaching out to our overseas Nightwish brethren.

Though Zellie is gone, she remains with us always, and as one of the core founding members of OSA, her contributions will live on so long as OSA does. It hasn't become any easier to live with her loss over time, but it brings us comfort to know that the many wonderful things she did during her short time on earth still continue to bring happiness to others. Zellie was a special person; there will never be anyone like her again, and we at OSA will always treasure her memory.

After Zellie's passing, Anette Olzon sent these kind words about Zellie to the OSA: "And thanks for sending me your e-mail about Zellie. I remember the doll [that Zellie gave to Anette when they met] and when we met and I must say this is such a tragic and sad story and since I have met cancer close in my family and lost close ones in it, I really wanna contribute with anything I can to help banish cancer from the world."